Etymology

signature

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Today it means: A person's name, written by that person, used as identification or to signify approval of accompanying material, such as a legal contract. Full definition →

Middle French signature ← Medieval Latin signātūra
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The story

  1. Medieval Latin · borrowed fromsignātūra
  2. Middle French · borrowed fromsignature
  3. English todaysignature

Borrowed from Middle French signature, or from Medieval Latin signātūra, future active periphrastic of verb signāre from signum (“sign”), + -tūra, feminine of -tūrus, future active periphrastic suffix. Displaced native Old English handseten (literally “hand setting”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.